RANDOM CHATSWITH OURDAMN FINEST MAMAS

On this beautifully sunny day, us mamas had some serious ‘insta surgery’ from Instagram guru, and author, Sara Tasker.

Only 6 years ago, whilst on maternity leave, feeling lost and missing her identity outside of her new role of motherhood, Sara found solace in her phone and set herself up on Instagram, a decision that soon ‘changed her world’. Finding a space to connect with others and share her creativity, whilst feeling free to completely be herself Sara gained over 1000 followers within her first month, soon to be 40k in 4 months. Posting a photo each day she continued to bloom with a huge following, successful blog, influencer work and whole new community of friends, connections and exciting business prospects.

So obviously, we all wanted to know... HOW ? In the social media world Sara has created a life that she has full control over, that benefits her with a great salary, she even has her husband working for her, whilst living in her much dreamed about home in the country with her family.

Sara gave us all some pointers that I am going share with you all below.

I also recommend you buy Sara’s book, I have read it in one day and it’s a must read if you are looking to grow your Instagram, and yourself !

Let’s talk....

FOLLOWERSWe are all so focused on followers ...but who is it that you are trying to reach? This is what you need to focus on. Gaining a significant and meaningful following is much more advantageous. People that engage with you and your content, these are the followers that count, these are who can help grow your page/business.

THE BIO and THE GRID ......Come on we’ve all don’t it right? Typed out a few lines, deleted, changed it, used up our space allowance. Written it out again. This is the first thing people read about you. Its your identity, branding and theme. What you are ALL about ...This and your first few squares are the things people see when they look at your page. YOU are your own content! Make it factual, have a theme.

REFINE WHAT YOUR BRAND MESSAGE IS AND MAKE YOUR STYLE CONSISTENT Using apps and editing tools to create same style pictures, Sara suggested Lightroom as a good app for editing and planning apps like Plann to see how your page will look when you post, saving you any ‘insta regret’ and giving you chance to save hashtags and captions.

KNOW YOUR BRAND MESSAGEIs your page individual to your brand?

#HASHTAGSA way of finding your people! 10-15 is Sara’s recommended amount, move them up, change them to suit seasonal changes for example or using some very active and some less popular tags feature hashtags and topical hashtags form the community. New, fresh lists to increase engagement.

TALKING OF ENGAGEMENT...Spend time engaging with your people. Every comment you leave on someone’s page is like a digital business card for your account, take time to like and comment interact with followers who comment on your post. Look up hashtag searches or location searches to discover likeminded people. Connect and be authentic.

POSTINGHow often? Frequent posts can equal to a greater following, however cut yourself some slack if you can’t manage 3 posts a day for example..if you do post less just be sure to engage more. Share your latest post on to your stories, set aside 20 minutes to reply to comments, even just a ‘like’ to show you have seen and read it...remember connections and communication gains you a community. This is the secret weapon of social media.

BLOGBlogging gives you a permanence that maybe Instagram doesn’t, you are your content. Collect a mailing list for your blog readers as this is a great way to make meaningful contact.

KEEP SAFE and BE KIND TO YOURSELF Go to your setting and turn on the hide offensive comments option. You can also add keywords you wish to filter out of comments on your post. Turn on two factor authentication, twice as secure and harder to hack (There are more helpful tips in the book)

Sara’s recipe for success in a nutshell...

Post Brilliant Content, not perfection, just being selective and pushing yourself.

Engage Spend more time exploring other people’s pages then your own get out your comfort zone. Interact with new people.

Try new things and accept their is no magic wand! Be unique, clear and consistent, be who you are m. Trust the process, learn and share.

Instagram is generally a very positive environment.

Thanks Sara for all your tips and Instagram surgery on the very spot for some of our brave mamas, seeing all your different instagrams and business ideas never ceases to inspire me and make me realise how powerful social media is today. I wouldn’t have met any of you if it wasn’t for the little free app that is INSTAGRAM.

February’s new MM members kick started the week off with a very busy, very buzzy, coffee morn.

The Lioness of life coaching, Danielle Mckenna and MM’s Jenny Scott, welcomed all the mamas (some very very new mamas) and soon got on the way with some pointers for growing our self confidence.

Shoreditch House library was packed, literally bursting, some scared, some excited and some ‘not sure if I should be here?’ mums. After a quick little warm up exercise from Danielle, all of us couldn’t stop talking and the room was filled with energy ( a few baby screams and some boobs out action) the room was alive and it was pretty clear we were all glad we were there.

WE ALL have that annoying little inner critic of a voice, every single one of us, yep even the mums that look like they are SO together. We are all constantly doubting and pulling ourselves apart, on everything from our looks, to parenting skills, relationships and careers. This became very clear once we all started talking.

None of us had any trouble writing three negative things that we said to ourselves that morning. I’ll be honest I could’ve gone on to an extra sheet of paper.

It made me feel quite sad to hear some of the listings of doom when Danielle read them out. Really sad actually. The energy had completely changed in the room. In fact it felt ...Flat as a pancake :(

Here I was in a room full of women, all totally different, some so stylish or with beautiful skin, gorgeous smiles, friendly and warm, and yet here they all were saying they were ‘too fat, too shouty, not good enough, too loud, too quiet, can’t do it’.

Wtf.

I am writing this like I hadn’t told myself anything negative ... well let me tell you I have the biggest arse hole of an inner critic, I rip myself to pieces daily....Even the morning of the meeting, anxiously wondering who I’ll know, will people think I’m this or that, will I blurt something out embarrassing blah blah blah. I am very good at appearing confident when inside I’m actually riddled with self critical ramblings .... Anyway....

We all had to close our eyes and picture this annoying inner voice as a person.

In fact do it now .....

What does yours look like? I imagined mine as the little red gremlin emoji 👹....most women saw themselves, the lady next to me ....pictured a skinny man... which keeps making me giggle. Picturing this inner voice as a person and connecting with them, can actually make it easier to control.

Next up was the chance for us to connect with our INNER LEADER... now listen up as this is the girl (or boy) you need to know ..

My Inner leader ... well she is basically Oprah, she is one bad ass mother, full of sass and confidence. She is telling me that I am wise, compassionate and helping me fill my life with purpose and clarity.

I pictured meeting her at my safe place (where’s yours? Mine is a beautiful, sunny beach ...I’m a cancerian, I love to be by the water) wth birds and butterflies and warm sun on my face.

So ok, are you with me ???

When that gremlin pops up, STOP, breathe, put your feet firmly on the ground and imagine being at your safe place.

Picture your inner leader coming to you there and telling you, ‘girl, you have got this, you can do this, you have the authority to live your life the way you want to, the power and the strength to be who you want to be,’ or if you can’t go that far, even just giving you the reassurance that they are there, when you need them.

Danielle taught me that in one hour🤷🏻‍♀️ .... made me think I probably should’ve seen a life coach about 20 years ago 😂I’ve only been doing it for one day but I’m liking my little meet up with Oprah at the beach. She’s got my back.

As mums, you can really loose yourself can’t you? Putting everyone else’s needs above your own. Spinning a million plates. Never giving yourself any time, feeling guilty when you do. Over time this can knock our confidence, which in turn can contribute to us missing out on opportunities, goals and dreams. All because of that little gremlin inner critic of an arse, but you have the power to change that.

You just have to find your inner leader

You deserve happiness, you deserve ‘you time’ however you can find it. You deserve to live your life how you want to, you have the power to change your life, you have the power to silence your inner critic. You need to practise self love, and self care.

I know it’s easier said then done, but just try it. Practise meeting your leader.

Tell yourself this ....I CANI WILLI AMI DESERVE

Find what you love, even for just 20 mins, a run, a bath, some meditation, yoga or maybe an insta scroll, a cuddle with your kids / friend /partner ...do whatever makes you feel grounded, and breathe

I absolutely loved meeting you all, and just for the record, all of the mums I had the pleasure of speaking to, I could easily now say three things about you that I thought made you flipping great,

You are BRAVE You are BEAUTIFULYou made me feel WELCOME

So Thank you.

When women support women powerful things can happen. We are in this together and we can help each other grow.